Author's Note: I struggled so much with this chapter and I have no idea why. I knew I wanted Mira to go on at least two of the Zuko adventures for a few reasons, some plot based, some self fulfillment based, but mostly because of where the cast and story is at, this chapter would have been significantly shorter and filled with filler. It didn't feel right to have filler at this point, nor fair for anyone wondering about the tension between Zuko and Mira.
I hope you guys like it.
~Chapter 12 Start~
Nothing had gotten easier since Zuko had joined us. Sokka was still a sarcastic asshole, Katara was catty and angry, I was petty and annoying, while Aang was optimistic and excited; and Toph? Well...Toph didn't have any stakes in this race, so she was enjoying her time relaxing and planning our future earth bending exercises. You know, once we were somewhere that couldn't be knocked into a canyon by accident.
Zuko spent his time moping around and trying to make up for any actual and perceived slight to virtually everyone. He was the most passive I had ever seen him, wandering around gloomily. He took Katara's anger in stride, he never reacted to Sokka's goading, he even gave me the space I had asked for. He tiptoed around Toph, clearly still embarrassed and ashamed of having burned her. The only person he seemed to remain the same around was Aang. Which brings us to their first fire bending lesson late one morning.
"I know you're nervous, but remember, firebending in and of itself is not something to fear." Zuko instructed as he paced before us.
I had taken it upon myself to watch Zuko whenever he was alone with Aang. I didn't trust him, and I certainly didn't feel comfortable leaving them alone together. So, here I was sitting on a broken pillar, watching as they worked. Zuko was still pacing before us, ranting about how fire was dangerous and required control. It was honestly funny coming from the person who used to scream fire at the drop of a hat.
"Okay. Not something to fear." Aang sighed, sounding thoroughly unconvinced.
"You know, you never used to talk this much when you were teaching me." I said in an offhand manner.
"But if you don't respect it...It'll chew you up and spit you out like an angry komodo rhino." Zuko continued aggressively as he leaned forward with a raised fist.
I blinked before giving Zuko an unimpressed look. While that was more like the Zuko I knew, it was hardly going to help Aang relax. In fact, I was rather positive it would have the opposite effect. But, at the end of Zuko's rant I perked up, komodo rhino? Leaning forward until I was perched on the edge of my seat I looked towards him.
"That's what those things were called! I just kept calling them rhinos." I exclaimed with a finger raised to my chin..
"You seriously, this whole time, had no idea?" Zuko gaped as he turned to give me his full attention.
"Hello, I came from the future, remember? We have komodo dragons, and rhinos, but not komodo rhinos." I shrugged as if it was entirely obvious.
Even though it wasn't, the same way I had no idea what the creatures here were named, Zuko would have no idea what the names would be in the future. I did have to wonder though, the komodo rhino's seemed like larger komodo dragons, perhaps they were related. I tapped my chin once more, almost forgetting about Aang's training entirely.
"Dragons are alive in your time?" Zuko gasped as he pinned me with a questioning stare.
"Dragons? What, no! Komodo dragons are just big lizards, are you telling me dragons are still alive now?" I squeaked, feeling worried that one would creep up on us somehow.
"Yes? I mean, no. The last one died out a while ago." Zuko shrugged as he looked away.
The look on his face was hidden from view, but I could still feel the staleness of the air surrounding us. I had yet again struck another invisible landmine, one of hundreds that seemed to surround him. Even after all this time there were still so many wounds I didn't know about, and for some reason it hurt. I wasn't sure what I had expected to be honest, and felt myself feeling almost chastised. Ba Sing Se had proven just how little I knew Zuko and vice versa. How I had felt our brief romance was healthy was beyond me, wishful thinking I suppose.
"Okay, we are getting off track here." Aang coughed to ease the tension.
I hadn't even realized how tense I felt until I looked around and found Zuko's posture mirroring my own. Zuko looked away awkwardly, almost shaking his shoulders out as he shrugged and gave Aang a more serious expression. I felt slightly ashamed for letting our issues interrupt Aang's training and cleared my throat once before looking at the sky.
"Right, now, show me what you've got. Any amount of fire you can make." Zuko requested as his stern face turned to inspect Aang.
Aang took a deep breath and sent out a small puff of smoke. I couldn't stop the giggle that left my mouth as Zuko gave Aang such a disappointed look. I guess he had expected more oomph from the Avatar than what Aang gave. Fully looking at Aang now in an attempt to avoid Zuko, I gave him a small sympathetic smile.
"Uh, wow, okay. Mira was obviously a natural." Zuko coughed into his hand.
"Well, we all assume it's because I was born a firebender while Aang was born an airbender, so..." I waved off.
"Maybe I need a little more instruction. Perhaps a demonstration?" Aang said, his head hanging low.
"Good idea. You might want to take a couple steps back." Zuko said as he got ready.
Taking a deep breath he sent out a punch that let out a tiny puff of flame. This of course caused me to start laughing and fall off the pillar piece I was sitting on. Aang clapped softly as Zuko frowned, clearly growing angry. Somehow Zuko's fire was just as pitiful as Aang's was. I almost felt myself bracing for Zuko's explosive anger, but it never came.
"What was that? That was the worst firebending I've ever seen." Zuko whined as he threaded his fingers through his hair in frustration instead.
"I thought it was nice." Aang said in an attempt to calm Zuko down.
"No, it was pretty sad." I laughed with a petty grin gracing my face.
Zuko continued to try, sending out small puffs of fire which caused me to laugh even harder. For some reason it felt so surreal and hilarious to watch Aang and Zuko fail at firebending together. Once upon a time Zuko seemed so powerful and frightening, to see him like this now was humbling for not only him, but also for my view of him. It made him appear softer, more...human and less evil dictator's loyal son.
"Stop laughing!" He yelled at me, his cheeks blazing red.
"Sorry, it's just hilarious to be the best firebender in the room for once." I snorted in an attempt to stop another fit of giggles.
"Gah! Why is this happening? She's right, that was pathetic." Zuko yelled as he threw his hands down, unable to refute my claims.
"Karma?" I asked with a smirk.
"Mira..." Aang warned me before turning to Zuko with a sigh. "Maybe it's the altitude?"
"Yeah...could be." Zuko said as he turned away to sulk.
~Break~
Most of the day went on like that. Zuko tried to conjure his fire as I laughed and Aang gave words of support; he was clearly the better Avatar here. Nothing seemed to be working and as Zuko grew more frustrated his fire seemed to grow weaker. It was fascinating to see someone who used to literally explode at any little thing so easily shift to someone who, no matter how angry he got, didn't explode out of control anymore. It was almost impressive, if not for the fact that if Zuko couldn't firebend anymore, he would be at a disadvantage when we finally fought the Fire Nation, his father, and not to mention his sister.
"Just breathe, and..." Zuko sent out another punch amounting to diddly squat.
Aang yawned as he laid down, joining me. It appeared that even Aang had an end to his ever attentive patience. He was growing more bored, even his words of encouragement lacked their previous emotion. Everything was falling flat now, including Zuko's firebending.
"That one kind of felt hot." Aang offered with a small wave.
"Don't patronize me. You know what it's supposed to look like." Zuko shouted at him, clearly the only person with any energy left between the three of us.
"Sorry, Sifu Hotman." Aang apologized with a small nod.
"Ha, Hotman." I snorted.
Aang had been calling him that all afternoon. Each time Aang used the term to address Zuko, Zuko would flip out and turn around screeching for Aang to stop it. I wasn't sure it was helping at all, but Aang didn't seem to be stopping anytime soon and I was there for it. Maybe we could just annoy Zuko into bending hotter fire, it used to work when we were still with Iroh.
"And stop calling me that!" Zuko snapped back causing me to chortle with laughter causing him to turn to me. "And you, stop encouraging him!"
I blinked, giving Zuko's annoyed expression a moment's pause before I started laughing even harder. Thankfully, Zuko's tirade stopped before it began when Sokka interrupted by sauntering over to us as he tossed an apple into the air. He stopped before us and took a bite of his apple and took a moment to appraise us as he munched away. He gave us an amused expression before sitting down, lounging way too comfortably. No doubt he was only here to mess with us again, most likely bored, again. It had been another frequent occurrence all afternoon.
"Hey, jerks. Mind if I watch you three jerks do your jerk bending?" Sokka mocked us with a mouth full of his apple.
"Shut up, man-bun. I know where you sleep." I hissed, bristling at the insult that also included me.
Why he always enjoyed bugging me I'd never know. Katara sometimes mused that perhaps he saw me like an older sister, or an aunt. At the aunt comment I had frowned, halting the conversation any further. I was only a few years older than them, how on earth did I look like their aunt.
"Why do you always go after my hair?" Sokka whined as he went to cover his bun.
"Get out of here!" Zuko snarled.
"Okay, take it easy. I was just kidding around," Sokka said, tossing his apple core and standing up. "Heh, jerk bending. Still got it."
Zuko looked down, defeated by Sokka's words. My chest tightened and in a moment of lost emotion, I bent a rock at Sokka's head. If this kept up we would be stuck here long into the night watching Zuko attempt to bend a fire large enough to light a candle. Sokka's attitude wasn't helping in the least, at least, that's what I was telling myself.
"Would you stop doing that!" Sokka snapped at me as he darted away.
~Break~
Zuko eventually kicked me out of his training session with Aang, to which Aang had immediately agreed; traitor. Feeling betrayed and bitter, I wandered towards where Sokka was sitting by the fountain. Lazily he sat there, one leg in the water, chewing on yet another apple. Catching my eye he sent out a smile as he tossed the core off the edge of the temple.
"Ha, did you get kicked out too?" He laughed, misery clearly enjoying company.
"How did you know?" I decided to joke back, rather than be too embarrassed.
I quickened my pace, walking towards the fountain and taking a seat next to Sokka and kicking off my boots. I stuck my feet into the water before turning towards Sokka with a wide grin. Might as well enjoy myself, since we were both banished from the Avatar training session. In some ways, I found Sokka and myself fairly similar in that regard, sarcasm being one of them. Sharing in misery was definitely another.
"So you like inventions, right?" I asked with a mischievous look.
"Yeah...why?" Sokka asked, sounding unconvinced with his answer.
I pouted, feeling slighted that he didn't trust me, but remembered I had spent the day tossing pebbles at his head. I suppose I had been abusing my bending just a bit...Shaking off Sokka's snub, I gave a kinder smile to him as I shrugged.
"It's just, I know how some of my times inventions work, if you ever wanted to pick my brain." I offered out like an olive branch.
"Like what?" Sokka asked, his interest suddenly piqued.
"Well...what if I told you that in my time we could harness electricity to power our lights, warm our homes, and even run some of our vehicles." I offered looking out into the distance as if this information bored me.
"Tell me more." Sokka said, startling me as his face appeared right next to mine.
"Alright, but first, tell Katara you definitely don't see me like an aunt." I said with a deathly serious look.
"Uhh...sure, whatever," Sokka replied, looking beyond confused, "aren't you like my age though?"
"Thank you! Finally, someone gets it!" I shouted as I hopped to my feet.
"...are all the Avatar's as weird as you and Aang?" Sokka asked, causing the water from the fountain to explode onto him from my instant irritation.
Well, no one said I was perfect either.
~Break~
We were having dinner that night while Zuko was off brooding unsurprisingly. He had been unable to conjure even the faintest bit of proper fire all day, and was in a foul mood because of it. They had only stopped when Katara had come to retrieve them for dinner. Now dinner was near finished by the time that Zuko returned from his sulk.
"Listen, everybody. I've got some pretty bad news. I've lost my stuff." Zuko admitted as he scratched the back of his head.
"Don't look at me. I didn't touch your stuff!" Toph quickly defended.
"I do not like how quickly you said that." I blinked, looking towards Toph with a suspicious look.
"Look, all I'm saying is I have no idea where your scarf went." Toph uttered ominously.
"Excuse me, what? What on earth do you need a scarf for?" I asked, forgetting about dinner and narrowing my eyes on Toph.
"I may have used it to clean between my toes." Toph said with a shrug.
"Wait a minute, didn't you borrow that scarf from me?" Katara asked as her eyes narrowed on Toph.
"Oh, I guess I didn't take your scarf, Mira, forget what I said." Toph said as she waved me off.
Katara looked as if she was going to respond but Zuko interrupted her before the conversation could be derailed even more.
"Forget about the scarf, I'm talking about my firebending. It's gone." Zuko said, hanging his head in shame.
"Duh." I snorted as if it were painfully obvious to everyone.
"Ah ha ha ha ha ha! I'm sorry. I'm just laughing at the irony. You know how it would've been nice for us if you'd lost your firebending a long time ago." Katara laughed, wiping away non-existent tears.
"Well, it's not lost. It's just...weaker for some reason." Zuko sighed as his cheeks coloured in embarrassment.
"Maybe you're just not as good as you think you are." Katara glared.
Zuko didn't respond, instead he stared at his feet avoiding Katara's intense gaze. It wasn't funny to watch anymore, it actually felt...just...sad. I cleared my throat as I looked into the fire, finding it hard not to feel uncomfortable at the sudden tension hanging over us.
"Ouch." Toph thankfully said, breaking the tense silence.
"As much as I loved that burn, Katara, we all know he can do better than...what pathetic fire he's been conjuring all day." I sighed, turning my gaze away from Zuko to look at Katara.
"Was the pun intended?" Sokka asked.
I scoffed at his question, placing a hand to my chest in false offence.
"Sokka, you know me. The pun is always intended. Only cowards don't intend their puns." I feigned shock.
"Nice!" Sokka said as we high-fived.
"I bet it's because I changed sides." Zuko said as he looked away.
"That's ridiculous." Katara scoffed as she turned her bitter gaze towards the fire.
"I don't know. Maybe it isn't. Maybe your firebending comes from rage and you just don't have enough anger to fuel it the way you used to." Aang suggested, attempting to keep the peace and offer insight.
"Never thought I'd see the day." I smirked, although this time it was bitter.
"So, all we need to do is make Zuko angry. Easy enough." Sokka said as he started to poke Zuko with his sword.
"Okay! Cut it out! Look. Even if you're right, I don't want to rely on hate and anger anymore. There has to be another way. Mira and Iroh don't need rage to fuel their fire." Zuko sighed, pushing Sokka away.
"You need to learn to draw your firebending from a different source. I recommend the original source." Toph suggested as she ate.
"How's he supposed to do that? By jumping into a volcano?" Sokka said, not expecting his joke to fall on flat silence .
"No. Zuko needs to go back to whatever the original source of firebending is." Toph clarified.
"So is it jumping into a volcano?" Sokka asked, trying once more.
"Dude, if it wasn't the first time what makes you think it'll be funny a second time?" I asked incredulously.
"Comedic timing?" Sokka responded.
"Well, I don't know. For earthbending, the original benders were the badgermoles. One day, when I was little, I ran away and hid in a cave. That's where I met them. They were blind, just like me, so we understood each other. I was able to learn earthbending, not just as a martial art, but as an extension of my senses. For them, the original earthbenders, it wasn't just about fighting. It was their way of interacting with the world." Toph explained, talking over Sokka and I's pointless conversation.
"That's amazing, Toph. I learned from the monks, but the original airbenders were the sky bison. Maybe you could give me a lesson sometime, buddy." Aang said, looking towards Appa who let out a roar.
"Well, this doesn't help me. The original firebenders were the dragons, and they're all extinct." Zuko said forlornly.
"What do you mean? Roku had a dragon, and there were plenty of dragons when I was a kid." Aang said.
"Well they aren't around anymore, okay?" Zuko shouted, the fire not even flickering at his display of rage.
Clearly dragons were a taboo subject for Zuko, good to know. There was honestly no way I could have known this before. Admitting that I thought dragons were fictional would have blown my cover.
"Okay, okay. Sorry." Aang apologized, holding his hands up in defeat.
"But maybe there's another way. The first people to learn from the dragons were the ancient Sun Warriors." Zuko said as he walked towards the outlook of the balcony.
"Sun Warriors?" Aang asked. "Well, I know they weren't around when I was a kid."
"No, they died off thousands of years ago. But their civilization wasn't far from where we are now. Maybe we could learn something by poking around their ruins." Zuko suggested as he turned to look back at Aang.
"It's like the monks used to tell me. Sometimes, the shadows of the past can be felt by the present." Aang said, standing beside Zuko.
"So what? Maybe you'll pick up some super old Sun Warrior energy just by standing where they stood one thousand years ago?" Sokka asked.
"More or less. Either I find a new way to firebend, or the Avatar has to find a new teacher." Zuko responded.
"Well hey, now that you've joined us, Mira can always pick up the slack." Sokka grinned.
I slapped his arm, causing him to flinch.
"Stop volunteering me for things!" I hissed as the tension around the conversation began to fade.
~Break~
We were now flying through the air on Appa. We had left early in the morning, Aang dragging me out of bed as I cursed in every language I knew. Zuko had shot me a knowing look that caused my stomach to curl and my lips to frown. I didn't want him to know me that well anymore. Aang had initially planned to go with Zuko alone, but changed his plan once Katara and I had rather vocally objected. So, here I was playing babysitter to the Avatar and the Banished Prince. Even Aang agreed I was a better choice than Katara; somehow she was even angrier at Zuko than I was.
Well...not somehow, I had a pretty good idea as to why, so did everyone else. It was just odd that Aang had taken notice of it as well.
"We've been riding for hours. I don't know why, but I thought this thing would be a lot faster." Zuko complained as he glared at the water below us.
I sighed as Appa roared. It was clear not much had changed with Zuko's attitude, he still complained about anything. He was getting what he wanted, with Aang and my assistance, and still there was something wrong. Holding my tongue I forced myself to look at the sparse clouds instead. I tapped a few fingers against my forearm, my arms crossed in some form of defiant boundary.
"Appa's right, Zuko. In our group, typically we start out our missions with a more upbeat attitude." Aang translated.
I snorted at the thought of Zuko being upbeat. If it hadn't happened yet, it was hardly going to happen now. I bit my tongue to stop my bitter remarks, finding it increasingly harder as Zuko kept complaining.
"Ugh, I can't believe this." Zuko complained anyway, carrying on despite Aang's words.
"Hey, if you want to keep on groaning, I can just toss you off if you'd like?" I suggested as I raised my eyebrows.
"No, I would not like that." Zuko said through clenched teeth.
"Don't worry. You'll get the hang of it." Aang said being the ever positive one.
We hit the ruins not long after that. We all gasped in awe as the large pyramid-like ruins came into view. They reminded me of the Maya pyramids in South America. I took a moment to look around and wondered if that was where we were, the place that eventually became known as South America. Despite being in the past, the ruins still looked old, some of them already crumbling with time. Pieces shone in the harsh sun, sparking like dazzling fires in the distance. There was a feeling of almost warm serenity that overtook me as I looked across the remains of what remained of the Sun Warriors.
"Even though these buildings are ancient there's something familiar about them. I can tell the fire sage temples are descended from these." Zuko spoke as we landed.
My stomach twisted at his words, feeling almost lost that I could barely see a whisper of my home in this time, yet here Zuko was seeing familiarity everywhere he went. It felt undeserved and my own petulant feelings overtook me as I let out a small snort.
"Yeah yeah, have fun in your pretty buildings. I'm going to keep Appa company, yell if you need help." I yawned, leaning back down in the saddle as they wandered off.
"Have fun!" Aang shouted as he waved at me.
"You too! Have fun bonding!" I laughed, waving back.
My eyes narrowed as I watched Zuko's back. I wasn't sure if I was ready to trust him yet, but Aang had only one request when he agreed to letting me tag along. He wanted time to get to know Zuko, maybe even try that friendship he had offered so long ago. I wasn't sure how I felt about that, but I knew what I felt wasn't fear Zuko would hurt Aang. No, I knew Zuko had honestly and earnestly joined us, despite my bitter resentment for it. I was upset because I wanted to keep benign angry, I wasn't ready to let it go yet. The more he integrated with our group, the more he would be integrated with me as well.
It honestly scared me.
~Break~
"Mira! Mira, we need help!" I heard faint shouting in the distance.
With a sigh I threw my glider into the air and jumped to it, gliding over the ruins a lot more gracefully than I had before. Whooping at my own little victory, I looked around trying to pinpoint where their shouts were coming from. I had been dozing for about thirty minutes because somehow I had expected this adventure to be boring, that was clearly my first mistake because oh how wrong I was. As I got closer the shouting only grew louder, Zuko's deeper voice echoing off the walls underneath Aang's booming shouts. knew I was close now, so I landed a few yards into the ruins. I wandered around, looking left and right, until I found Zuko and Aang, their heads sticking out of a grate. Aang wiggled his fingers at me in greeting as Zuko merely glared.
"Oh my god. This is amazing." I laughed as I walked over.
They were stuck in some kind of green goop, their heads shoved out of some sort of grate. I knelt down and took a closer look, not trusting whatever it was enough to touch it. It didn't seem to be harming them, but they were stuck real good. I couldn't stop my bubbling laughter as my chest began to heave.
"A little more helping, and a little less laughing please!" Zuko shouted as I doubled over again.
"I'm not sure what I can do without a solvent. I feel like if I touch it, I'll end up stuck as well," I said, taking a seat. "So, how are you all doing?"
"My nose itches." Zuko admitted as I gave it an itch.
"Buckle in, boys. We might be here awhile." I said with an amused grin.
~Break~
Night soon fell and none of us could come up with a viable solution to unstick the two of them. The only thing the two of them seemed to be set on doing was arguing. I had attempted to use a stick, waterbending, and firebending, but nothing seemed to work. Now, Zuko and Aang were stuck, smelling of burned goo, with a stick stuck between them.
"You had to pick up the glowing egg, didn't you?" Aang complained.
"At least I made something happen. If it were up to you, we'd never have made it past the courtyard." Zuko yelled back.
I was starting to grow weary of their childish bickering. It had been amusing at first, but now it was just loud and annoying. I rolled my eyes having heard this argument before on Aang and Zuko's biggest bitching hits.
"Help!" Aang shouted.
"Stop yelling! No one else is around, except Mira, who ended up being just as useless! What could one extra person accomplish!" Zuko complained.
"Hey! Don't drag me into your hissy fit, I offered to go get help!" I scoffed, staring at the stick stuck between them pointedly as if to say, see at least I tried.
"What help could you find in the middle of crumbling ruins?" Zuko sarcastically responded.
"Appa." I responded back, feeling my temper shortening by the second.
"Well, what do you think we should do?" Aang bit at Zuko, his own temper snapping.
"Think about our place in the universe?" Zuko asked.
"Oh lord, at least my plan could accomplish something." I groaned.
"Who are you?" I heard someone say from behind us.
Sitting up I found myself face to face with an older man dressed in red robes, red face paint, and a feather headdress. I was concerned that none of us had noticed his presence, but mostly surprised that anyone was here at all.
"Who is down there?" He demanded as he walked over to the grate.
"My dumb friends." I answered, surprise palpable on my face.
~Break~
The man helped get them free using what looked like anteaters to eat the green goop off of them. He opened the grate, helping pull them free from the rest and they now sat waiting for their gluey prison to finally release them. I stood to the side feeling rather awkward as even more people surrounded us. Looking around I realized these were hardly ruins, much less abandoned. The longer we waited, the more people seemed to wander over. Once Zuko and Aang were mostly freed, they looked up at the group that had now gathered around us.
"For trying to take our sun stone, you must be severely punished." The man spoke as the rest of his tribe murmured in agreement around him.
"We didn't come here to take your sun stone. We are here to find the ancient origin of all firebending." Zuko answered.
"Yeah right," One of the men scoffed, "they are obviously thieves, here to steal Sun Warrior treasures."
"Please. I don't normally play this card, but I'm the Avatar, so is technically my friend Mira." Aang explained, motioning for me.
I gave a small wave as everyone's eyes fell to my form.
"Just hear us out." Aang continued.
"My name is Zuko, crown prince of the Fire Nation. Or at least, I used to be." Zuko introduced.
"Hey, I'm Mira, I'm also the Avatar. I'm helping these two out on their firebending journey. I'm technically from the distant future, but came here to stop baddies from my time who also came back because...spirit stuff..." I coughed, not sure how to explain my circumstances fully.
"I know my people have distorted the ways of firebending to be fueled by anger and rage, but now I want to learn the true way, the original way. When we came here I never imagined the Sun Warrior civilization was secretly alive. I am truly humbled to be in your presence. Please, teach us." Zuko bowed.
Aang and I joined in and bowed as well.
"If you wish to learn the ways of the sun, you must learn them from the masters Ran and Shao." The man before us spoke.
"Ran and Shao, there are two of them?" Aang asked.
"When you present yourselves to them, they will examine you. They'll read your hearts, your souls, and your ancestry. If they feel you are worthy, they'll teach you. If they don't, you'll be destroyed on the spot." He spoke before motioning for us to follow.
~Break~
He took us to the top of the pyramid where a large fire burned brightly in a golden brazier. I wondered briefly if that was the bright twinkling I had seen earlier and mistaken for the almost golden ruins. I felt embarrassment hit the back of my neck, warming like the beating sun above us. He motioned us to stand around it and began to explain what he wanted us to do. The stone columns surrounding us seemed to glimmer against the light the fire cast out in an ominous manner. I wasn't sure what to think about these mysterious masters, and by the smug looks the Sun Warriors were casting us, I wasn't confident in our success either.
"If you're going to see the masters, you must bring them a piece of the eternal flame. This fire is the very first one. It was given to man by the dragons. We have kept it going for thousands of years." He explained as he carefully watched our expressions.
"I don't believe it." Zuko said in awe.
"You will each take a piece of it to the masters to show your commitment to the sacred art of firebending." He continued as he began to walk towards the fire.
"Um, Mister Sun Chief, sir? Yeah, I'm not a firebender yet. Couldn't my friend here carry my fire for me?" Aang asked, looking rather nervous and pale.
"Also, I'm not here to do this ritual, my fire is fine." I said as I raised my hand.
"No. And I thought you said you were all here to learn sacred firebending? If not, we can always return to your punishment." The Sun Chief mused as he stroked his chin.
"Uhh, no, I'll carry the fire. No problem," I coughed, "why do I keep getting dragged into all your crap." I hissed at Zuko who had the decency to look ashamed.
The Sun Chief reached into the eternal flame, pulling out a large strand of fire from the brazier.
"This ritual illustrates the essence of Sun Warrior philosophy. You must maintain a constant heat. The flame will go out if you make it too small. Make it too big and you might lose control." He said as he handed us each a piece of the fire.
"I'm sorry. I'm just a little nervous," Aang said, slowly reaching out to take his. "It's like a little heartbeat."
"Yeah, it really is." I smiled as I watched Aang look at his flame in awe.
"Fire is life, not just destruction. You will take your flames up there. The cave of the masters is beneath that rock." The Sun Chief pointed towards our destination.
~Break~
The trek was long and humid. We had to enter the forest, which felt more like a jungle, and it was becoming more difficult to keep the flame going as the wind started to hit us from the coast. As cooling as that felt, it did not help us keep our flames alive much less strong. I matched my pace with Zuko, Aang lagging behind. We didn't talk, but it was comfortable to just be silent in his presence. He stopped after a moment, looking back to check on Aang.
"Hurry up." He said with a small frown.
"I can't," Aang sighed, "If I walk too fast, my flame'll go out."
"Your flame's gonna go out because it's too small. You're too timid. Give it more juice." Zuko instructed.
"He's right, you know." I sighed, hating to agree with Zuko.
"But what if I can't control it?" Aang asked.
"You can do it. I know you can. You're a talented kid." Zuko answered back.
Aang seemed to brighten at Zuko's words, his fire growing ever so slightly as his pace sped up. We continued making our trek, getting closer to the top. As we reached the path between the rocks we found the Sun Chief and the other Sun Warriors waiting for us. Behind them was a large staircase leading towards two separate caves connected by a single walkway. The stone columns loomed over us like a shining cage, casting large shadows down upon us.
"Facing the judgement of the firebending masters will be very dangerous for you. Your ancestors are directly responsible for the dragon's disappearance. The masters might not be so happy to see you." The Sun Chief told Zuko.
"I know I wouldn't be." The man from before spoke up next to his chief.
"But once they find out I'm the Avatar..." Aang began to say.
"Have you forgotten that you vanished, allowing the Fire Nation to wreak havoc on the world? The decline of the dragons is your burden too." The Sun Chief said before slamming the ground with his staff.
I didn't bother vocalizing that I would be safe, assuming my assumed fate would be similar to Aang's. Summoning the fire from our hands, he and his people began to bend it around one another, until each of them held a circle of the same flame. The rhythmic chanting and beating drums seemed to simulate a heartbeat, and I found my own speeding up with the tempo.
"We could turn back now. We already learned more about fire than we'd hoped." Aang offered.
"No, we're seeing this through to the end. We're gonna meet these masters and find out what's so great about them." Zuko answered.
"I'm with Zuko on this one." I nodded.
"What if they judge us and attack us?" Aang asked.
"Well, we're the Fire Prince and two Avatars. I think we could take these guys in a fight, whoever they are." Zuko said, pulling his sword slightly from it's hilt.
We stood and waited with baited breath. Nothing was happening and I looked towards the Sun Chief who was watching us with a smug grin.
"Bring them out." Zuko demanded.
"Chanters!" The Sun Chief ordered.
Music began then, along with the sound of voices. We walked forward together, ready to face whatever came never as a team. It was strange to be on Zuko's side again, but not altogether unwelcome. Walking up the steps we each took a deep breath. As we reached the top, we looked around finding no one.
"Those who wish to meet the masters Ran and Shao will now present their fire." Someone instructed us from below.
We looked at each other, before turning to the caves and showing our flames. We each bowed, proffering them up as a gift to whoever these masters were.
"Sound the call!" The chief ordered.
Someone was blowing on a horn now. I felt my anxiety rising, the heat of my flame flickering against my hands. A large rumble escaped the cave, knocking dirt and stone onto the walkway.
"What's happening?" Aang asked as he shifted his feet to stop from falling.
Looking around, Aang went back to find his flame had gone. I sighed as he turned back to Zuko with puppy dog eyes.
"Zuko, my fire went out." He whispered.
"What do you want me to do?" Zuko asked.
"Give me some of yours." He responded as he started to wrestle with Zuko for a piece of his.
"No, take Mira's, she doesn't even want to do this. Or just make your own." Zuko said, pushing him away.
"Hey, don't drag me into this, I don't want to get murdered by one of these masters for breaking a rule or something." I hissed.
"I can't make my own. Come on Zuko!" Aang cried softly, trying to grab the flame from Zuko's hand.
"Get some from one of those warriors. Hurry. Ugh, stop cheating off me!" Zuko cried out.
"Quit being stingy!" Aang cried back.
"Oh my god! Can't you guys be quiet!" I shouted at them.
They kept wrestling with one another, until the flame in Zuko's hands was knocked out by Aang's hands. Next thing I knew, they were all over me trying to get a piece of mine.
"Stop it!" I hissed.
"Come on Mira, share! I'm basically you, it's not cheating!" Aang tried to convince me.
Zuko's arms were around my back as Aang was reaching around my side. I grunted as I tried to twist away, but eventually the fire was knocked from my hands as well.
"You guys are assholes!" I hissed.
Our arguing was cut short as a low growl coming from both caves.
"Uh oh." Aang said.
"Ya think?" I whispered.
Two dragons came screeching out of the caves, one red, and one blue. They swirled around us, the wind whipping at our skin. My back hit Zuko's and we exchanged glances. My heart rate picked up, more panicked than before. I wasn't sure what the hell we were going to do against two actual dragons!
"These are the masters." Zuko said as Aang's back hit ours.
"You still think we can take 'em?" Aang asked.
"Shh! I never said that." Zuko hissed.
"Any bright ideas?" I asked.
Aang was watching the dragons intently, watching as they twisted around one another as if in a dance. He followed their movements, eyes darting back and forth between the two dragons.
"Guys, I think we're supposed to do the dragon dance with them." Aang suggested.
"Dragon dance? What dragon dance?" I hissed.
"There was this dragon dance we had to learn to open up the pedestal that had the Sun Stone on it." Aang explained.
"What?" Zuko gasped, looking at us. "You can't be serious. What about this situation makes you think they want us to dance."
"They are kind of dancing, though, aren't they?" I asked.
"Well, I think they want us to do something. Let's just try it." Aang suggested.
"Fine! Mira, follow me." Zuko said, moving away from Zuko and taking the first position.
I followed him, standing about one pace behind. The next move was a lunge, I stretched my arms out along with my legs and switched to the third position when Zuko did. This one was a pouch out, and then reversing position to punch again. Another hit down with two arms and we lunged again, doing a few more similar moves, until we reached each other, fists extending outwards towards Aang, as Aang's fists were pointed at ours. Everything was silent for a moment. The dragons were watching us with intent eyes, and I felt like my very soul was on display.
"Judgement time." The Sun Chief spoke.
The dragons landed on the outside of the stairs, just staring at us. They let out a swirl of blue and red flame that surrounded us. We screamed at the oncoming blast, covering ourselves as best we could. We were pulled into a tornado of vibrant colours. The flames surrounded us like a barrier, but did not burn. I was in awe. It was as if I were seeing firebending for the first time. Truly seeing what it was in all its forms.
"I understand." I heard Zuko whisper from beside me.
His hand found mine and I couldn't bring myself to let him go. I let the heat and beauty of the moment consume me. And felt joy at the warmth that his touch brought. Soon, the display was over and the dragons flew back into their caves. I felt tears brimming my eyes as I let go of Zuko's hand, the moment falling into a peaceful end. Descending the stairs we found the Sun Chief waiting for us with his people.
"Their fire was beautiful. I saw so many colours, colours I've never imagined." Zuko spoke first.
"Like firebending harmony." Aang continued his thought.
"Yes," The Sun Chief answered, "they judged you, and gave you visions of the meaning of firebending."
"I can't believe these are still living dragons. My uncle Iroh said he faced the last dragon and killed it." Zuko said.
"So your uncle lied." Aang said.
"Actually, it wasn't a total lie. Iroh was the last outsider to face the masters. They deemed him worthy and passed the secret on to him as well." The Sun Chief admitted.
"He must have lied to protect them, so no one else would hunt them." Zuko said in realization.
"All this time, I thought firebending was destruction. Since I hurt Katara, I've been too afraid and hesitant. But now I know what it really is. It's energy and life."
"In my time, we use fire to control dry foliage and dead plants and trees. We use controlled burns to clear it out so new life can grow where it had once died. Fire is an important part of the ecosystem to keep everything continuing." I said, coming to the same realization.
"Yeah, it's like the sun, but inside you," Zuko said, holding a fist up and staring at it. "Do you guys realize this?"
"Well, our civilization is called the Sun Warriors, so yeah." The Sun Chief said.
"That's why my firebending was so weak before. Because for so many years, hunting you was my drive. It was my purpose. So when I joined you, I lost sight of my inner fire. But now, I have a new drive. I have to help you defeat my father and restore balance to the world." Zuko said.
He took to the floor, sending out a large burst of flame. I stared in pride as he started to smile, a true smile. He sent out another, and then another, and stopped coming back to stand with us. Aang smiled and sent out one of his own, causing me to laugh. Joining him, I could see the colours shining in all of our flames.
"Now that you have learned the secrets and you know about our trie's existence, we have no choice but to imprison you here forever. Just kidding," The Sun Chief laughed. "But seriously, don't tell anyone."
"Let's go home, boys." I said, shaking my head in disbelief.
"If I could borrow Prince Zuko for a moment?" The Chief asked as Zuko turned to give him a perplexed look.
"Sure, I'll meet you guys at Appa." Zuko waved off.
~Break~
"So what did he want?" I asked as we flew home.
"Just wanted to give me something." Zuko shrugged, staring at the small sack in his arms.
"Gonna share with the class?" I asked, pestering him instantly.
"When the time is right." He smiled, closing his eyes for a well deserved nap.
"Pfft, fine. Keep your secrets." I pouted, crossing my arms.
It was a strangely cathartic moment after such a chaotic day. Instead of questioning it, or dwelling on it until the moment was ruined, I just bathed in the moment too. Everything felt like it had rewound back to a simpler time, and for the moment, I was content to let it.
~Break~
When we arrived back at the airtemple we wasted no time in telling everyone what had happened. Aang and Zuko were now showing off their dragon dance as I chowed down on some apples. After the day we had had, I was famished.
"With this technique the dragons showed us, Zuko, Mira, and I will be unstoppable." Aang explained as he and Zuko showed off their firebending.
They finished the dance as everyone stared at them in confusion, everyone clapping except Sokka and I.
"That's a great dance you two learned there." Sokka stated.
"It's not a dance. It's a firebending form." Zuko defended.
"We'll just tap dance our way to victory over the Fire Lord." Sokka laughed.
"It's a sacred form that happens to be thousands of years old." Zuko said, stomping over to us.
I snickered as Katara shot me a grin and a wink.
"Oh yeah? What's your little form called?" She mocked.
"The dancing dragon." Zuko relented, causing us all to laugh.
"So you learned this too?" Sokka asked.
"It was either that, or get eaten by a dragon." I shrugged with a grin.
Sokka was gaping at me with wide eyes and I declined to explain further. Leaning back I knew I had won this one and left Sokka processing the words 'eaten' and 'dragon'.
"What?!"
~Break~
Dinner that night was less tense than it had been during Zuko's first night. It seemed like their little journey had brought Aang and Zuko closer, and I wasn't quite sure if I was okay with it. Sure, for a moment it had felt like things between Zuko and I had calmed, but as soon as we hit the air temple, that feeling had long since dissipated. Heading down the halls, I was heading towards my room when I felt a presence behind me.
"Hey, can we, uh, talk?" Zuko asked as he stepped into view
I turned around, giving him a look, and thought his request over. The feeling of awkwardness was still thick in the air, but my anger felt like it had hit a flatline. I let out another sigh looking towards the ceiling of the crumbling temple, counting the cracks instead of thinking about his question. His patience seemed to be everlasting and when I looked back down at him he didn't even look irritated, just...expectant.
"Fine, where do you want to talk?" I asked as Zuko led me towards his room.
He motioned for me to enter, and I did against my better judgement. It felt strange being here after everything that had happened. Awkward didn't even seem to cover it, yet I found myself entering anyway. His room was sparsely decorated, but I zeroed in on a picture of Iroh instantly. I smiled for a moment, before steeling my gaze. Despite the day we had had, I wasn't about to let my guard down and act chummy with Zuko.
"So, what did you want?" I asked, crossing my arms to create a barrier between us.
"I wanted to apologize and talk about...what happened." Zuko said, stepping around me and standing before his window.
"Didn't you already apologize?" I sighed, letting my arms fall to my sides.
"Not properly, not to you. Not for...everything," Zuko said, turning to look out the window and taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry for betraying you. I'm sorry for leaving you, and I'm sorry for my part in your...almost death. You don't have to forgive me, but please believe me when I say I never intended for any of this to happen when we...were together."
The way he said 'together' made me feel uncomfortable. It felt like he was uttering some sort of dirty secret and I felt sick at the thought.
"It's already forgotten. I get it, moment of weakness. We don't need to agonize over the past." I waved off, moving to leave.
"That's not what I meant!" Zuko hissed, turning fully towards me.
"Then what do you mean, Zuko?" I asked with a heavy sigh.
"I've made a lot of mistakes in my life, but none of them I've regretted as much as leaving you. I'm sorry." Zuko said.
"Yeah, well. It's a bit late now, isn't it?" I asked, feeling the tears sting my eyes.
"It doesn't have to be..." I heard Zuko whisper.
"Zuko, please. Not now. Not when I'm still coming to terms with you being here." I said, taking a step back.
"Okay, I'm sorry. But, that's not the only reason I brought you here. I found something at the palace I think belongs to you." Zuko said, pulling a small black rectangular device from his bag.
"Is that...my phone?" I asked with a gasp.
"Is that what it's called?" Zuko asked.
I rushed over to him, pulling the phone from his hands and turning it on. It opened up to my lock screen and I just about started to cry.
"Thank you." I whispered, his hands brushing mine as he let the phone go.
"You're welcome." He smiled back.
I watched as he turned and walked away, his back tense and his movements unsure. I felt myself choke on my words once more as I watched him leave, much like a lost puppy. I could feel my own shoulders tensing up as I halted my arm from reaching out for him. Instead, I watched until all I was left with was his echoing footfalls. Why wasn't I angry anymore?
~Break~
I couldn't stop myself from thinking back to the night Zuko had returned my phone to me. I wasn't sure how to feel at first so I attempted to hold onto the bitter feeling that had slowly bled into the spite that had kept me going. For a while I kept thinking that I would grow angry once again, that it was merely coming in waves as it had before. But now...now I just felt...deflated. I couldn't figure out why I no longer felt such visceral anger towards Zuko when I should be. I looked up and watched as Katara glowered at him throughout breakfast. I could see Zuko hunching down, clearly aware of her stinging gaze. It was a realization I had come to when we were with the Sun Warriors. Katara was angier at Zuko than I was, in fact it was safe to say that while I hadn't forgiven him, I wasn't really angry anymore. None of us were, and out of all of us...I should have had the most reason to hate him...shouldn't I?
It was a curious thing to watch, and while I didn't feel much sympathy for Zuko, neither did I feel vindicated by how Katara was treating him. No...what I felt was simply pity now, and that realization stung in a completely new way. I nodded towards Aang as I placed my bowls into the washing pile and excused myself from breakfast. My mind was racing too fast and the tension at breakfast was becoming too much. I needed a break, a moment to just feel like I wasn't so overwhelmed by it all.
Walking through the cooler halls of the temple I found myself in the Pai Sho room where a large table lay dust covered in the middle. I smiled to myself as I finally reached the large table, tracing the lines carved into the stone. If there was anything to learn in my last adventure it was that anger never got you anywhere. So I sat down before the table, crossing my legs and taking a steadying breath. I closed my eyes and fell into my own trance-like state, attempting to call Spirit Aang myself this time. When I opened my eyes again, I was seated within my dream glen.
"It worked..." I breathed out as I staggered to my feet.
"I take it you're no longer mad at me?" Aang asked as I whipped around to face him.
"No-yes, I don't know that's why I am here." I said with a sigh.
"What do you mean?" Aang asked, taking in my distraught look.
"Why aren't I as angry as I should be? No...why aren't I angry anymore period? I should be but..." I trailed off, feeling once more empty and deflated.
"Do you want to be angry?" Aang asked.
"No, it's tiring and...it doesn't feel good." I responded with a sad smile.
"You know, someone once told me that our anger isn't something to avoid, but to listen to. When we are angry that means something is wrong and our bodies, our minds, are trying to tell us something is wrong so we can do something about it. So, if you're not angry anymore, maybe you got what you needed." Aang said with a fatherly smile.
"But...all I did was tell off Zuko." I sighed feeling even emptier than before.
"Maybe that's all you needed." Aang urged me to continue.
"But...after what he did, shouldn't I want to do something more..." I trailed off feeling stunned by my own thoughts.
"Violent?" Aang answered for me. "Take a moment and think about why you equate anger with violence?"
I knew the answer, we both did, but I humored Aang anyways. So, I thought about it. I thought about Zuko's explosive anger, and how he no longer exploded like he did, how he had better control over his anger, and how he had become more honest with his emotions. Then, I thought about Aang and how whenever his anger exploded people could get hurt, same as me and my anger. I thought about my parents, my mothers explosive reactions to what seemed too small to me. I then thought about Iroh and how he spoke about his past, with regret and understanding for what Zuko was going through.
"Because that's what I have experienced the most, even if it wasn't always physical, anger meant aggression to me...and after what I learned from the Sun Warriors I'm not the only one who thought that either. Zuko did, the Fire Nation does too. Perhaps I am done being angry for the sake of feeling angry, maybe I want to start moving forward with my life for once." I answered, feeling my own eyes feel hot and heavy.
"It sounds like you know exactly why you aren't angry anymore." Aang smiled as he moved to give me a warm hug.
I thought of Katara then, and her seemingly unearned anger towards Zuko. I knew it wasn't my place, she wasn't where I was, she was still working through her own grief and pain. Her anger didn't surprise me, what surprised me was the lack of my own anger. I felt a dam inside me break and felt tears spring forth, coating my lashes and cheeks.
"You don't need to forgive just because you no longer feel angry, and you also don't need to let someone back in your life to forgive them either. Do what is best for you, Mira." Aang spoke into my hair.
"Where did you get all this good advice from?" I asked through sniffles.
"Well, you got pretty wise in your old age." Aang answered with rumbled laughter.
I couldn't stop a smile from spreading across my lips as well.
~Break~
I opened my eyes to find Katara seated before me with a terse expression on her face. When she noticed I was 'awake' she quickly smiled and moved closer to me.
"Visit to the spirit world?" She asked with feigned interest.
"Something like that, what's up?" I asked.
Katara chewed on her bottom lip for a moment before she looked me in the eye, her smile gone.
"It's just...are you really comfortable living with Zuko? I know we all agreed he would teach Aang but..." Katara started to say, before she trailed off.
"It feels like everyone has forgiven him so quickly and so easily." I finished for her.
"Yeah, so you noticed it too." Katara said more to herself than to me.
"Yeah, well, I'm not surprised since Toph never experienced him chasing you, Aang has been trying to be his friend since the very beginning, and Sokka is...well, being Sokka." I shrugged at the lack of what to say.
Sokka wasn't being friendly towards zuko per say, but even I could tell Sokka wasn't doing it out of anger, at least not anymore. I wasn't sure if Sokka ever was all that angry, or if he was just that easy going. My mind filtered back to our fight with Azula and realized that his anger was much much different from how he had been acting. In fact, Katara and myself had been the only ones who were acting angry with Zuko.
"Sokka should care, he's older he can remember mom better than I can and-" Katara spluttered out.
"Whoa, wait, is this about Zuko or your mom? Because it isn't Zuko's fault, what happened to your mom that is." I said, reaching out for Katara's arm.
She turned to look at me with a look of betrayal. I could feel the tension in the room become heavy and thick.
"Have you forgiven him too?" She said in an accusing tone.
"What? No, of course I haven't." I rebuffed, feeling offended at her comment.
"Then why aren't you angry at him anymore?" She asked, the wildness in her eyes fading away.
"I don't know, okay! Being angry is tiring, and I feel like there is so much more going on and he doesn't deserve that much of my energy I've decided. I may not be angry anymore, but I haven't forgiven him. Far from it. What I don't get is why you're so angry at him." I said as I ran my fingers soothingly across her arm.
"Because he embodies the very thing that took everyone I loved away from me, he even attempted to take more people I cared about and then, in the crystal caverns he...he fooled me with his sob story, and if I had been given even a minute longer I would have used the spirit water that saved both Aang and your lives on him, if I had done that for the sake of his vanity, because I had decided to trust him neither of you would be here now!" Katara shouted, her body vibrating in anger.
"Katara I-" I tried to say.
"No, she's right. She has every right to be angry with me...I just came to say that Sokka was looking for you..." Zuko interrupted me before he turned and left us both sitting there stunned.
"What an asshole, acting like he's the victim here..." Katara muttered angrily.
"Hey...give him a break, what you said was kind of heavy." I tried to tell Katara, but she was already gone with a wave to meet up with Sokka.
"This is...so not going to end well." I sighed to myself.
Whatever anger Katara had was still unresolved and clearly growing.
~Break~
I found Zuko brooding in the grassy area above the temple. I snorted, unsurprised to find him here where Katara never went. Actually, none of us really went up here. As I stepped out of the brush and towards him he heaved out a sigh and turned to look at me.
"Here to tell me off some more?" Zuko asked pitifully.
"No...kind of the opposite actually." I responded back, unsure what to do.
"...why?" Zuko asked.
"Cause it seemed like you needed it. Come on, get up." I said as I bent down to look for a couple sticks.
"What are you doing?" Zuko asked, but stood up anyway.
"Well, we don't have our swords on us, so I figured we could...Aha! There," I said as I stood up and turned to him. "Two sticks so we can spar. We can't go as hard as normal but."
Zuko took the stick I held out for him and gave me a funny look.
"You want to spar with sticks?" He asked.
"Well, not really spar. Just some movement exercises. It used to always help me relax and recenter myself." I said as I handed him one of the sticks.
"Fine, but I want it known that I don't see the point in doing this." Zuko sighed.
"Noted, now come on." I said getting into position.
We went through a few back and forth passes, before Zuko kind of slowed to a stop.
"This isn't going to work." Zuko sighed.
"You didn't even really try." I said shooting him a glare.
"I can't concentrate." Zuko said, his own anger diffusing before it began, once more.
"Look..." I said with a sigh as I moved towards him. "I know it's not easy taking responsibility for the things we've done. I may not have forgiven you, but I am...proud of the work you've done, so stop moping. It doesn't suit you." I said as I wrinkled my nose.
"Wow, I think that was almost a complement." Zuko said with a small chuckle.
I locked eyes with him and returned his smile with one of my own. Holding out my hand he took it and I pulled him back into the clearing. Looking at the sticks it did feel kind of silly considering we had real swords down in the temple. He was right, this was probably a foolish idea.
"Maybe this was a stupid idea, sorry." I said feeling suddenly embarrassed.
"No, it wasn't...actually, there was something I wanted to ask you." Zuko said quickly, stopping me before I could make even more of a fool of myself.
"What?" I asked.
"On your...foone thingy"
"Phone."
"Yes, phone. I saw a video of you sword fighting but you were using some thin blade you kept...thrusting with." Zuko attempted to explain.
"Thin blade I kept thrusting...hmm...oh! You mean my rapier!" I said as I realized.
"Yeah, could you show me some of the moves?" He asked.
"You sure? Never seemed up your alley before, the footwork is kind of...different." I warned, not really wanting to teach the hot headed prince fencing.
"I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't." Zuko said with an annoyed sigh.
"Okay okay, bossy bossy..." I muttered as I raised my stick with one arm and squared myself off.
I placed my feet into position, one foot pointed straight out aligned with my blade, the other horizontal making my left leg a little bow-legged. I raised my left hand and placed it above my right forearm, palm down. I moved back, and then forward, using my left leg to push off of to move forward, and my front leg to move backwards. I then added a thrust, a fairly standard rapier attack. This caused Zuko to tilt his head in interest.
"Why do you hold it like that?" He asked.
"It's the most defensible way for this style." I smiled, making sure my blade was properly angled.
"It looks like it's harder to maneuver in." He asked, his interest piqued.
"It is if you don't know how, but when you do it's easy, almost natural." I answered, feeling the movements of my fencing take over.
It was like greeting an old friend and I did some experimental slashes, my wrist cracking slightly at the last rotation. I needed to ensure to use my forearm more, all my saber fighting had made my fencing sloppy. I kept going, forgetting that Zuko was there until he gasped.
"That's that move you used on me during one of our lessons." He said as he moved closer.
"Yeah, it was. I'm surprised you remembered." I said with a small laugh.
"Of course I did, it caught me by surprise so I made sure to remember it so I wouldn't be caught off guard again." Zuko laughed, embarrassment bleeding into content amusement.
"Imagine that, I managed to throw you for a loop even back then." I said with a smile.
"You have no idea." He said, smiling fondly as he continued to watch me fence long into the night.
~Chapter 12 End~